God Blesses the Cheerful Giver

 The Ministry of Helping

 Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 8

 

 This chapter deals with the need to help other believers and other human beings who were being threatened with starvation and death and were spiritually poor.

 Many of them did not know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

 The need for church missions is a never-ending call.

 We know we live in a sin-sick world and things are never going to get any better than they are now, at least until the return of Jesus Christ.

 2Ti_3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 The desperate needs of the world will always confront the Church.

 The challenge for the church is to help whenever possible.

 What is stewardship? Believers also are described as stewards of God’s gifts and graces, to dispense the benefits of them to the world.

 While we are watching for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to remain busy in the work of the Lord.

 1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

1Pe 4:8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 

1Pe 4:9  Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 

1Pe 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

1Pe 4:11  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

 The ministry of helping is being a good steward of the manifold grace of God!

 *****2Co 8:1  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 

 We sometimes forget as Americans that much of the world lives in poverty.

 Even in our own nation, people are dying of starvation, and there is no excuse for this.

 Paul encouraged every church to become good stewards of God's "Grace".

 1Co 16:1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 

1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

1Co 16:3  And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. 

 At this time, the church in Jerusalem was suffering because every Christian had been excommunicated from Judaism, their jobs taken away from them, and no Jew would help them.

 The thing about humans and money is that everybody wants as much as they can get and then tries to hoard what they have.

 It is quite human of us to prosper and then forget those who have needs.

 Here is another place in the Scriptures where the church meets on Sunday before anyone set a decree.

 The plate was passed on the first day of the week, which was Sunday on the Jewish calendar.

 The challenge to the Church is clear! Give all you can to reach and help the desperate who live in our world.

 What we see today while our own costs for food skyrocket, people are dying of hunger while tons of food are destroyed to create an artificial demand and to keep the prices high.

I have never seen a time when so much food is being recalled and destroyed, and we should wonder why.

 Every day, there is some recall of food or people getting sick because of eating tainted food.

 Thousands of animals are destroyed every year without proving they needed to be destroyed.

There must be reasons this is taking place.

 The churches in Macedonia had accepted this challenge to help the church in Jerusalem and were giving because of the Grace and favor of God.

 The churches of Macedonia included Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

 These were not wealthy churches in monetary terms; they were rich in grace and mercy.

 These places had been ravaged by war, and Rome had stripped them of their wealth.

There should be no one upon this earth who defends the Rome of those years.

 We see this happening in Iran today, even though the rulers of Iran are to blame.

 It does not stop the fact that the Christians and the poor people in Iran need help.

 The poor people of Ukraine need help.

There are still poor people in Israel who need help.

 There are poor people in America who need help.

 Food is not the greatest need of the poor because most of them are also poor in the Spirit of God, but starving people will not respond to the Gospel. 

 There are always people who need help, and the church cannot feed them all, or can it?

 What do we know about giving?

 Paul does not speak about the percentage of income one should give. Everyone knows that the Old Testament norm was ten percent of the income.

 In the New Testament it is not about the amount but about the motive, the mind and the way of giving.

 *****2Co 8:2  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

The self-sufficiency of some places of worship convinced them they no longer needed to depend on God; they were blind to their desperate poverty in the eyes of the Lord.

The Lord Jesus Christ speaks of this in the Book of Revelation.

To protect the Church from the deception of worldly riches, Paul was pointing out that all the riches and treasures that have eternal value are found in Christ. 

I like to say that the real riches we need are all the things that money cannot buy.

Biblical stewardship is living in the reality that everything we have belongs to God. We are managers, not owners. 

Wealth is a gift to be used wisely, held loosely, and shared generously.

God does not want us to live in poverty.

God prefers we do not live in riches because we will become dependent on our riches rather than upon Him.

What does all this have to do with giving?

The question isn't whether God will bless us with resources. The question is whether those resources will draw us closer to Christ or cause us to live as though we no longer need Him.

This is the main reason why the teaching of a prosperity gospel is a lie.

Wealth is a gift — not a god. It can meet certain needs but not the most important ones. Everything we own belongs to the Lord, and every blessing should draw us closer to Him, not farther away.

Biblical giving is the practice of generously and willingly sharing resources, time, or talents in accordance with God’s principles, motivated by love, gratitude, and faith.

There are 10 Principles of Christian Giving:

       1. The Lord Jesus expects and requires us to give. Jesus said to His disciples, "when you give," not "if you give"!

Mat 6:2  “Therefore when thou doest thine alms”, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Christian giving is not optional, but rather essential. We often hear folks say: "In the Old Testament they had to give, but not in the New - now we only give if we want to." This is clearly not Jesus' teaching. He expected all His followers to be givers. Christians will give. Are you giving?

       2. The Lord Jesus wants us to give for the right reasons. Jesus warned His disciples not to give for the sake of being admired by men. 

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them," 

Jesus said: Mat 6:1  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

When we give, we must be careful to examine our motives. We ought to give for the glory of God and the good of His people. We must desire His approval of our giving, rather than the praise and admiration of people. Are you giving for God's praise or men?

    3. The Lord Jesus wants us to practice benevolent or charitable giving. Jesus said, "When you give to the poor . . . 

(Matthew 6:2-3). Jesus is specifically teaching about "alms" in this passage: alms are, aid, charity, or benevolent offerings for the needy. 

Do you give enough to the Church that she can be generous in benevolent giving?

   4  The Lord Jesus reminds us that our giving is ultimately to the all-seeing heavenly Father. Jesus said, "When you give:

Mat 6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 

Mat 6:4  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

When we give, we are not simply adding to the Church budget; we are giving up a thank-you offering to the Father Himself. 

Thus, we must all give "as unto the Lord." Our ultimate goal in giving is to please Him. Are you conscious of the fact that your giving is to the Lord and seen by the Lord?

  5. The Bible teaches that Christian giving is an act of worship. In connection with the previous point, we see this truth stressed in another way in Paul's words 

"On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save" :

1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

Paul here teaches the Corinthians that their taking up of the collection is an act of worship which is to be a part of their regular Lord's Day worship.

When we put our money in the plate, we are worshiping Almighty God in accordance with His Word. 

Note well, Paul is speaking here of a "collection for the saints" - this is giving by the Church to the Church for the Church. 

Did you realize that giving is a part of worship? 

Is your worship in this area abundant or inhibited? 

Is giving to the Church a priority with you?

   6. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in light of the incarnation. Many Christians argue about whether the tithe (10% of our income) is still the standard for our giving to the Church (disputants usually want to show that less than 10% is fine). Paul scuttles the whole debate in one verse. 

Paul says: 2Co 8:8  I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich"

Christ's self-giving is now the standard for our giving! We begin from the base of the tithe and aim for emulation of His self-sacrifice. 

Our giving is to be inspired and instructed by Christ's inexpressible gift. In light of such a challenge, who could satisfy himself with asking "how little a percentage is acceptable for me to give

Do you try to get by giving as little as possible to the Lord, or do you give in view of the Lord's costly sacrifice?

    7. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in accordance with our means. Paul is quite clear on this: "For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

2 Co 8:12  For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 

Put another way, Paul is saying that you should give in proportion to what God has given you. 

He said it this way in 1 Corinthians 16:2: each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper." This means at least two things: 

(A) Since we are all supposed to give proportionately, those who have more money are expected to give more [those who are particularly blessed materially must remember this], 

(B) The Lord never asks us to give what we do not have or contribute beyond our means.

 Are you really giving in proportion to the material blessings that the Lord has given you?

    8. The Bible teaches that the liberality of God's blessings to us is connected to the liberality of our Christian giving. 

Though it may seem strange, both Jesus and Paul emphasize that there is a relation between our giving to the Lord and the Lord's giving to us. 

As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:6:  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 

   9. The Bible teaches that Christian giving must be willing giving, free giving.

2Co 9:7  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 

 But doesn't this contradict what we learned under the first principle, that Christian giving is not optional? The answer is no. 

True Christian giving is both mandatory and voluntary. It is required by God, but always willingly given by the believer. 

Is your giving to the Church something you do wholeheartedly, or indifferently, or grudgingly?

  10. The Bible teaches that Christian giving ought to be cheerful giving. As Paul says "God loves a cheerful giver."

Paul assures us here that the Lord takes a special delight in those who are joyful, energetic, merry givers.

Is there joy in your heart as you give? Can you truly be characterized as a "cheerful giver"?

Giving to the work of the Lord is rooted in Scripture, reflects our stewardship of God’s resources, and yields both spiritual and practical benefits.

What is the Biblical foundation for helping those in need?

From the Old Testament, Israel was commanded to bring tithes and offerings to support the Levites, priests, and the temple work.

In the New Testament, the early church shared resources freely.

The principle is that all we have comes from God, so we are stewards, not owners, of our resources.

It honors and reveres God – Giving is an act of worship, acknowledging God as the source of all we have 

It aligns with God’s pattern – Biblical examples show godly people consistently giving a portion of their resources.

It brings God’s wisdom and order to finances – Prioritizing God’s work helps guard against materialism.

It is a practical reminder that God owns everything.

It opens the way for God’s blessings.

It supports ministry and outreach – Giving sustains pastors, missionaries, and church projects.

It yields eternal rewards – Faithful giving is recorded in heaven and linked to spiritual growth and eternal treasure.

Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

1Ti 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 

1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

It reflects God’s love through service – Giving time, talents, and spiritual gifts is part of the work of the Lord.

Spiritual and personal benefits

Joy and gratitude – Giving cultivates a heart of thankfulness and trust in God’s provision

Spiritual growth – Supporting God’s work deepens faith and dependence on Him.

Eternal perspective – It shifts focus from temporary gains to lasting spiritual rewards.

Community impact – It strengthens the body of Christ and enables outreach to the needy.

*****2Co 8:3  For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 

2Co 8:4  Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 

 The number one priority of the Church is to gather to worship the Almighty Living God.

 Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

 The number two priority of the Church is bringing souls to the Lord Jesus for salvation, and this will never change.

 The third priority of the Church is to make disciples.

 As far as giving to the Church, giving to God can never be measured by the amount.

 God doesn’t measure the gift by the amount. God measures the gift by the cost to the giver.

 You see, if you’re making a million dollars a year and you give God a hundred thousand dollars tithe, you’re not really giving very much.

 Doesn’t really cost you much. Look at all you’ve got left to live on.

 Now if you make only ten thousand dollars and you give a thousand dollars, still a tithe, that is giving a lot because it does not give you that much to live on.

 So, we see that according to the Lord Jesus, a tithe is not always enough in the modern church.

 To the poor a tithe may be looked on as enough, but to the rich a tithe may not be near enough in the eyes of God.

 Even the Lord Jesus gave something to the poor!

 Joh 13:29  For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 

 Biblical foundation:

 From the Old Testament, Israel was commanded to bring tithes and offerings to support the Levites, priests, and the temple work.

 Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  

In the New Testament, the early church shared resources freely.

 Paul taught that “God loves a cheerful giver”.

 The principle is that all we have comes from God, so we are stewards, not owners, of our resources.

 Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 

Psa 24:2  For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 

 The area of Macedonia had been in three civil wars, and Rome had stripped this area of its riches.

 These new converts to the church still gave more than they had to give.

 What did Jesus actually say? Luk 11:41  But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. 

  1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 

 The Church in Corinth was filled with people who were not poor like the Macedonians.

 Corinth was a rich city.

 Corinth was Grecian city, on the isthmus which joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. It is about 48 miles west of Athens. The ancient city was destroyed by the Romans (146 B.C.), and that mentioned in the New Testament was quite a new city, having been rebuilt about a century afterwards and peopled by a colony of freedmen from Rome. It became under the Romans the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia. It was noted for its wealth, and for the luxurious, immoral, and vicious habits of the people.

 What is the most important thing we can do as the church founded by Jesus Christ?

 *****2Co 8:5  And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 

2Co 8:6  Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. 

2Co 8:7  Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

 Those who have given themselves to the Lord are more apt to be generous in their giving.

 Remember the Lord Jesus gave all He had for our salvation, including His life.

 It always seems that those who are poor give more to others who are poor because they know how it feels to be poor.

 Those with a pocket full of money are just too stingy to share any of it, but that is not the way of God.

 God does not expect all Christians to be poor. This would set the wrong example of Christianity.

 God wants us to help those around us when a need arises.

 First, those who are in need in the church, and second, those in the community.

 Then there are ministries to support.

 There are missionaries to support.

 A pastor deserves our support.

 The maintenance of the church must be supported.

 Part of the mission of Titus was to collect the offerings they had laid aside for Jerusalem.

 Nothing was going to Paul or the other preachers.

 There was no manipulation or exploitation.

 If not for the first Christian church in Jerusalem, there might not be Christianity today.

 Giving keeps the Church moving in the right direction if done properly.

 My church is independent, and we have total control over where church money is spent as we try to answer the call of God.

 As we study the Book of 2 Corinthians, we can see that this church had been obedient to the things Paul had written in the Book of 1 Corinthians.

 We should always love those who brought us to the Lord!

 They cared enough for us to try to keep us out of Hell.

 The Pastor who preaches the truth of God without watering it down or twisting God’s words into something false is also someone who loves us.

 God sent us His love letter from Heaven, so we know He loves us.

 Love is the key to keeping a functioning church in the modern world, but not some carnal love, love in the Spirit of the Word of God.

 *****2Co 8:8  I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 

 Every true man of God does not issue commands to his church; he is just a messenger to deliver the Word of God.

 Every message must come by the Holy Spirit.

What's wrong with the modern church? The Holy Spirit is not allowed to do His work because the Word of God is rejected.

We say all the time that we want to be more like Jesus Christ, that He is our example to live by.

We know the Lord Jesus Christ was rich, yet for our sake He became poor.

Yes, He has a great inheritance, but He has chosen to share His inheritance with us.

That inheritance is in Heaven; we only need enough in this world to get us through it until the Lord returns to take us home or we go home by the way of the grave.

The Lord Jesus Christ proved His great love for us with the things He did for us, especially His dying for us.

Sometimes we just don't see that the God who made us came down to this earth in the form of a man and then died for us that we might live an eternal life.

Stewardship is trying to be like Jesus Christ.

*****2Co 8:10  And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 

God expects us all to give to His work upon this earth, and He has special instructions for the rich.

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 

1Ti 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 

1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 

These same guidelines work for us all!

All gifts that are given are God's to begin with!

So, it is the "Giver" that is important.

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

Giving is sharing.

Giving is the ability and willingness to share our material goods with others.

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 

Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 

 Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 

Giving with liberality refers to open-handed and open-hearted giving out of compassion and singleness of purpose, but not from ambition.

The Philippians helped Paul the Missionary when no one else would.

Php 4:18  But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 

Where would the Church be without the Apostle Paul today? But remember the "Giver" resides in Heaven and He wants all of us to be a part of giving to the Church.

Only you know how much you can give without it seriously affecting your family, which means most of us could give more, but God does not expect us to live in borderline poverty.

There is no such thing as a prosperity Gospel! We are to build up a treasure in Heaven, not here on Earth.

*****2Co 8:11  Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 

2Co 8:12  For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 

A year earlier, these Corinthians began to do something for the poor; it stopped when the church was going through sin that made its way inside the church.

They wholeheartedly had a great desire to help the Church of Jerusalem. They needed to finish what they had started.

Great intentions are not a help to anyone!

Willingness to give is not actual giving!

As we make plans for giving, we need to follow through with that plan consistently!

There must first be a willing mind!

We give from what we have and not from what we do not have!

We must put great emphasis on supporting the missions of the Church and those men and women who give all their lives to these ministries.

Some things that Jesus said:

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Mat 19:24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

The truth is: Luk 11:41  But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. 

The truth is, we are to give as we have, and we will be blessed for it.

God has never asked us to do more than our very best!

Amen

Godly Sorrow

 The Ministry of Godly Sorrow

 2 Corinthians Chapter 7

 

 What do we know about sorrow?

 1) There is sorrow that leads to repentance.

 One of the great examples in the Bible of sorrow that leads to repentance is the story of the prodigal son.

 Luk 15:20  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 

Luk 15:21  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

Peter wept because he denied the Lord those three times.

King David had a broken and contrite heart because of his adultery and the murder he committed.

 2) There is sorrow that does not lead to repentance, but we still suffer because of it.

 Rom 9:1  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 

Rom 9:2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 

Rom 9:3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 

 This is the sorrow we may feel because some of our family members are not saved, especially at their passing.

This is the sorrow that Judas had because he had turned against the Lord, and it led to his suicide and not to repentance.

 If you understand the meaning of joy in you, then you must realize that sorrow is the opposite of joy.

 We cannot wallow in our sorrow; we must do something about it!

 For instance: once the twelve disciples realized that the Lord Jesus was going to die when He went to Jerusalem, they were sorrowful.

 Joh 16:5  But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 

Joh 16:6  But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 

 Once these men, all but one, accepted the truth, their sorrow was not as great.

 When our sorrow brings us to repentance, then we must repent for that sorrow to become joy in the Lord.

 1Th_2:19  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

 *****2Co 7:6  Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 

 We know from chapter one that the Apostle Paul was in great distress.

 In chapter two, Paul wrote how troubled he was and how anxious he was waiting to hear from Titus, who was to bring him the news from Corinth.

 Paul was surrounded by hostile people; the love he had for the churches he had planted sometimes wore him down, especially the churches like the church at Corinth.

 Titus brought good news: the church at Corinth was having a revival.

 The first letter to these Corinthians had been effective to all that had read it.

 Titus had brought "good news" from Corinth, and we all know that the "Gospel" is the "Good News" from Heaven.

 The Gospel is the true "Good News" from Heaven.

 Col 1:5  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 

Col 1:6  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

 Paul had written a stern letter to this church, but it still had shown them his great love for them and the great love that the Lord has for His Church.

 We must never feel guilty for proclaiming the truth of God!

 The Lord Jesus said:  Jhn_8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 Jhn_8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

 The Lord Jesus is never wrong!

 *****2Co 7:7  And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. 

 The Apostle Paul was not just comforted by the news that Titus had brought to him, but he was also comforted that Titus had been comforted by what he had seen of this church in Corinth.

 It is probable that Paul sat down and wrote this letter of 2 Corinthians shortly after he had gotten this good news from Titus.

 This church had met this sin head-on and eliminated it without destroying the church nor rejecting the teaching of the Apostle Paul.

 When God's servants are under attack, we should know that God will meet the need of His servants.

 We should understand that the Apostle Paul had to first endure heavy trials for a long time before God moved.

 We must learn from every trial we face to be better servants of the Lord.

 This is not being a slave to God, but it is being a servant.

 God has never ordained slavery as the atheists believe He has.

 Even when the Jews had slaves, they had to pay them an honest wage and provide food, clothing, and shelter for them and their family until their debt was paid or a certain time had passed.

 These slaves were those people who sold themselves to pay the debt that they owed.

 A Christian is a servant and not a slave of God because God does not allow us to try to repay Him; His salvation is a free gift.

 All He asks of us is to repent and return to Him with love.

 Paul learned obedience by the things he had suffered, just as did the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our example in our Christian life.

 Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 

Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

 When the atheist asks why a Perfect God would allow suffering in this world, maybe it is because this world we live in causes all of God's people to suffer along with that atheist who is always causing problems for God's people, whom he says he does not even believe exists.

 A church that learns from suffering will stand its ground when evil tries to get through the doors to cause problems.

 Paul had only written to them the truth of God.

 We know that because we have a copy of the exact words that Paul had written.

 *****2Co 7:8  For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

 A church that has begun to believe in false doctrine is a church headed for trouble. It is the duty of that Pastor, that Man of God, to make sure that church gets back to the truth.

 There is a great possibility that some members will leave that church because of this.

 A Pastor must be very careful with who he allows to share his pulpit.

 A church must be very careful about who is allowed to teach any of the classes of adults down to the children.

 Once false doctrine gets into any church, it is hard to get rid of.

 The answer to this is that every Christian has a good understanding of a proper translation of those Hebrew and Greek Scriptures that never change.

 Paul regretted the necessity of having to take such a stern approach, but the Holy Spirit had required him to do so.

 It is every soul that brings joy to Heaven, and losing even one is in itself a tragedy.

 To give credit to this church in Corinth, they mourned, wept, wailed, and lamented over the sin that was within their midst and over their true minister, the Apostle Paul, and they made the necessary corrections, and then the church began to grow in the "Grace of God".

 *****2Co 7:9  Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 

2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

 To cause grief is never a pleasant thing, and no man of God wants to be a cause of grief, but every true man of God must preach the message given to them by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not allow a true man of God to preach against the written word of God.

 If that church has been led astray, then that person was not a true man of God, and that person did not have the Holy Spirit living in them.

 We are never to intentionally make people feel sorry for their actions; we are to simply give them the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit do His work in them.

 We are always to work with the lost or the backslider in a way that God would approve.

 The Lord Jesus died for the saved and for the lost, for we were all lost until we met the Lord Jesus Christ and had faith in His work.

 It is sin that causes sorrow, but sorrow has no healing power by itself.

 Only a change of mind or a turn of life (repentance) can heal the heart of that one suffering from sorrow!

 **There is worldly sorrow: Sorrow over doing something wrong or coming up short from what is expected of us.

 It can be said to be a violation of one's values.

 It can also be sorrow from being found out for something that you thought was hidden, or suffering the consequences from doing something that was wrong, or even from punishment when you know what you did was wrong.

 The sorrow of the world works death!

 It eats us up on the inside with guilt and remorse.

 Remember Judas who sold out the Lord Jesus: Mat 27:3  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 

Mat 27:4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 

Mat 27:5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 

 It can cause bitterness and rebellion: Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 

Heb 12:17  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

 **There is godly sorrow: This is the sorrow we feel from Holy Ghost conviction. Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

 The Holy Spirit will go quiet in us: 1Th 5:19  Quench not the Spirit.

 The Holy Spirit will do His best to lead us in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we can hinder that work: Mat 26:75  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

 Godly sorrow will always lead to repentance, where worldly sorrow leads to bitterness.

 Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

 *****2Co 7:11  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 

 Repentance and returning to God will always bring the fruits of good living to honor and glorify God with our lives.

 We should remember that this church had not at first acknowledged this individual as sin.

They had not immediately corrected this offender nor themselves for ignoring these things, even laughing about it.

 Repentance cleared them of God's displeasure!

 When the heart is changed, then life and the actions will change.

 We must hate sin, but at the same time not hate the sinner.

 We must see the hatefulness of sin!

 It is the hatefulness of sin that will bring us to repentance!

 Godly sorrow will repair our relationship with the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

 *****2Co 7:12  Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. 

 The modern church today seems to forget that we are all accountable to God.

 We must take our stand on the complete, infallible Word of God and stay the course.

 There is no room in the Church to veer to the left or to the right.

 God says over and over that He will not and does not change, and we cannot read into the Scriptures hunting for an excuse to say He has changed or that He is not the same God from the beginning.

 Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 

 God has a purpose for every word He has given to us, and God has a plan that will be fulfilled just as it is written.

 We can accept Him as He is, just as He accepts us as we are.

 Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 

 There is nothing that is taught in this world that will ensure our future in God's New Heaven except the truth of the Scriptures!

 It is only the truth of God that will bring comfort to the soul!

 *****2Co 7:13  Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. 

 We know that the Word of God brings results!

 Look at the conversation that Moses had with Jehovah God.

 Exo 34:6  And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 

Exo 34:7  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. 

 This is the God that I serve. He is not some old grandfather figure that does not care what happens to us.

He is not some wimp of a God who will let us get away with not repenting and returning to Him as our Creator, our Savior, and our Redeemer.

He is the God who gave us His Words to live by, and He expects us to do so.

 Titus was comforted by what he saw of the church in Corinth, as they had repented as he had preached the Word of God from the Apostle Paul.

 Paul was comforted at knowing that the Word the Holy Spirit had given to him to put in this Epistle had brought that repentance.

 Paul was also comforted by the comfort of Titus, as he had been an eyewitness to the truth that the Word of God brings Holy Ghost conviction, Holy Ghost conviction brings repentance because the Word of God brings results.

 There was now great joy in the Apostle Paul because the church could have closed its doors but became a powerful church in their community, and the work of the Lord continued its journey all around this world just as it continues today.

 Paul was refired up to continue in the work that God had given him to do, and many souls were saved because of it.

 Our biggest problem is that we do not listen to what God has to say.

 We do not take the time to read and study our own Bibles.

 We listen to men who tell us the same thing that the old Serpent told Eve. "Ye shall not surely die".

 That same serpent, the Devil, is still spreading this lie in every church, and far too many of them have strayed from the truth of God.

 God is not a tyrant, but He does expect us to obey Him!

 God expects every local church to teach the truth!

 *****2Co 7:14  For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth. 

 This church at Corinth had a complete revival as they learned the truth of God.

 The Church needs to have a complete revival today and get back on the right track.

 The purpose of revival is always to revive the real, inner, spiritual life of each believer!

 True revival will cause a dead church to come alive again.

 True revival means each church member will come to new life.

 God had used Titus as an instrument in His hands to turn this church around.

 Titus was full of joy just to be a part of this revival, and so it rubbed off on Paul.

 We all need to get caught up in revival!

 Psa 85:5  Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? 

Psa 85:6  Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? 

 We need to stir up the gift of God who is within us, which is the Holy Spirit.

 Deep on the inside of Paul, he could just feel that these people in the church at Corinth would make the right choices.

 In fact, Paul may have bragged about it to other Christians.

 A true church will do its best to make the right choices that coincide with the Word of God and the Will of God.

 In his heart Paul knew this church would respond to the love of God.

 *****2Co 7:15  And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. 

2Co 7:16  I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things. 

 When Titus arrived at the church at Corinth, it was said that he had another letter from the Apostle Paul, and it brought fear and trembling to much of the church.

 They were afraid that they had not done enough to rid the church of sin.

 We must remember these were babes in Christ and had not fully understood the Word of God, and there is no one who can say that they fully understand the Word of God.

 How to be saved is the most important part of the Word of God; then we need to pay particular attention to the Lord Jesus Christ and then the Apostles with us Gentiles, paying particular attention to the Apostle Paul and the Book of Acts, all the New Testament, then all the Old Testament, or we will never understand why God does what He does.

 We must go back to the beginning and know that the same God who saved us is the same God who made us!

 We must accept our creation and the creation of this world just as it was written in the Book of Genesis.

Church discipline must be exercised for the good of the whole church!

Church discipline must take place in every church to protect spiritual purity and the reputation of the church that is obedient to the Word of God using a proper translation of the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures.

Let it be known that you can change your own translation to say what you want it to say, but the original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures have not ever changed.

2Pe_1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

There are no mistakes in these Scriptures!

The Pope cannot change the Word of God, nor anyone else!

Mal_3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not;

We can only have confidence in the Word of God because we know that God will never change.

The Bride of Christ must remain pure, or the Bridegroom will reject her, and our Heavenly Father will never allow His Son to return to get His Bride.

Amen

Sharing the Love of the Lord

 Collection and a Conclusion

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 16

As we finish our study of the Book of 1 Corinthians, we should keep in mind that someone had written a letter to the Apostle Paul about things going on in the Church at Corinth, and the Apostle Paul had written or dictated to a scribe the answers to their questions and had sent this epistle in the hands of Timothy a young preacher to get this church headed in the right direction.

All the epistles of the Apostle Paul are written to the Church established by the Lord Jesus Christ and are, in fact, the written Word of God established by the Holy Spirit.

  It should have been clear to the Church in Corinth that it was from that first church in Jerusalem that the source from which all the blessings of the Gospel had flowed.

 It was fitting for the early church to help the poor people of the first church in Jerusalem if they were able.

 Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Gal 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

 As we saw in Chapter 13, the Book of Love, the lovers of God give freely to Him. If we have the love of the Holy Spirit, then we will give to the Church.

 What had the Lord Jesus said? Act_20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

 Psalms 41: Psa 41:1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

Psa 41:2 The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

Psa 41:3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

 Pro 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

 The Lord Jesus is serious about this: Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 Every child of God, even if they are poor, is also a saint of God!

 At this time, it was the poor Christians in Jerusalem who struggled the most.

They were being persecuted by the members of Judaism and fellow Jews.

 In Jerusalem was a sharp contrast between the rich and the poor, with the saints of God being the poorest of the poor.

 Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

 It is said many times that God will provide our needs, and many times He expects the Church to help in this matter.

 Remember this was to help the saints of God in the church at Jerusalem and not a handout to all the poor, even though at times we can help them, but the Church comes first. It is the Church that has the promises of God!

 This was to be a special gift for the poor in the church at Jerusalem, which we would call today a love offering.

 Paul had given these same instructions to other churches he had established.

 It had been thirty years since the church at Jerusalem had begun to practice the common ownership of goods, but this thing had soon ceased.

 Many believed this had failed and caused widespread poverty among the Jewish Christians.

 Whatever the cause, the believers in Jerusalem were in desperate need of help.

 God has a special place in His heart for those who give unselfishly!

 Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

 What is being a good steward? 1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

 *****1Co 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

1Co 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

 This lesson is clear: the Church is to help meet the needs of the poor believers.

 Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

 We can also see from this Scripture that the churches gathered together on Sundays, the first day of the week.

 The Jews met on Saturdays as commanded in the Laws of Moses, but the Church has no such command, and the Church meets on the Lord's Day. The church can also gather again on any other day, for where two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus Christ, we can have church.

 Rev_1:10 I was in the Spirit on “the Lord's day”, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

 It was on Sunday when the Lord Jesus Christ walked out of that grave.

 Joh 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

 It was on Sunday that the Apostles gathered after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Act 20:7 And upon “the first day of the week”, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

 Paul preached on the first day of the week, which is Sunday.

 Notice the believers were not to make occasional offerings; they were to give regularly, every Lord's Day, on the first day of the week.

 They all were to give, even the poor were to give as they were able.

 2Co 9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

2Co 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

2Co 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

 It is giving that builds a strong fellowship among believers, as verse 14 states.

 Any offering that was made was to be kept at God's storehouse.

 2Ch_31:10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

 During the week, these believers were to lay up what they could and deliver it to the storehouse when they gathered together.

 Today, this would be the treasury of the church.

 Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

 *****1Co 16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

1Co 16:4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

 Notice that those who were to handle this money going to Jerusalem were to be hand-picked by the church.

 This offering was to be handled very carefully.

 They must choose men of character.

They must be men whom the church could approve and “trust" to handle the money.

They were to be men whom the Apostle Paul could commend through letters of commendation.

 Paul would write letters on their behalf to the church in Jerusalem.

 If Paul could not go with them, he would write letters of introduction for them.

 This was something that was done so brothers could be received as brothers in the Lord and not as strangers.

 Act 18:27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

 Rom 16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

Rom 16:2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

 That phrase "your liberality" means the things we talk about in Chapter 13.

 If this offering were not voluntary, it would mean nothing to the Lord and bring no reward to this church at Corinth.

 It was not to be a gift of obligation but rather a gift of brotherly love for one another.

 Paul himself would not touch this offering so he could remain above reproach at all times.

 Even if his schedule allowed him to make the journey to Jerusalem, those men would be personally delivering that offering to the believers in Jerusalem.

 *****1Co 16:5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.

1Co 16:6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.

1Co 16:7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

1Co 16:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

1Co 16:10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.

1Co 16:11 Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren.

 We must know that there is always a need to keep in touch with God's people.

 All of us need strengthening and building up from time to time.

 This world will wear us down, and it is just going to get worse!

 We see here that God does not always want us to do as we plan to do.

 God's will must be the rule of our lives as we minister for Christ!

 God is not too busy with all the things He does to not get personal with us.

 We are wrong when we do not listen to Him!

 Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him "who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will":

 We must understand that all things are brought to pass by the will of God!

 God has a purpose for each one of us, and also as a group!

 2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, "but according to his own purpose and grace", which was given us in Christ Jesus "before the world began",

2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

 What the Holy Spirit is saying is "it's our time to shine" as we are brought into the plan God has had from the beginning, way back before Genesis.

 No one upon this earth is as wise as God!

 We can only be wise if we yield to the will of God!

 Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

 God does as He pleases, but everything He does is the right thing to do!

 God does not adjust His plan according to events that happen upon this earth!

 Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

 1) There is the directed will of God; these are the things God actively brings about.

 He creates. Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

 He controls this universe. Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and no one can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

 He establishes rulers and governments. Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

 He calls those to be saved. Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

 2) There is the permissive will of God.

 This means that even though God has determined all things, He may do them Himself, or He may bring them about through secondary causes.

 Sinful acts do not frustrate the plan of God; they just cause us to suffer the wrath of God. God does not ever cause sinful acts!

 Man is responsible for all sinful acts that happen in this world.

 All the things that God created have one purpose: they are designed to reveal the glory of God!

 Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psa 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

 Our Lord Jesus died, was buried, and has risen and returned to Heaven because this was the plan of God for our redemption.

 Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

 The Apostle Paul knew he could return to this church in Corinth only if it was in the will of God for him to do so.

 At this time, they had Timothy, a young preacher who preached just as Paul did, and they would get the truth of the Gospel.

 We would rather run our own lives, but once we recognize these truths of God, we know it is best to yield to His will for us, as did the Apostle Paul.

 As we learned from Chapter 13, Paul expressed love rather than division.

 *****1Co 16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

1Co 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

1Co 16:21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.

 We should understand that this Christian family of Aquila and Priscilla was greatly involved in establishing the churches in Corinth and in Ephesus.

 They were also Paul's partners in a trade that provided Paul with the funds for his journey. He accepted very little help from the churches.

 They had established a church in their own home.

 Many churches have begun in the humble surroundings of someone's home.

 Gethsemane met first in the home of a church member.

 A holy kiss is the kiss of peace that should reign in all the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Rom 16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

 The body of Christ is supposed to be one body, but we know that is not the case in today's world.

 We are all supposed to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We all have the same Heavenly Father.

We are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are all supposed to have the same Scriptures. There is only one true Word of God!

We are all going to the same New Heaven and New Jerusalem.

We are all filled with the same Holy Spirit.

 We have to wonder why we do not act like it.

 Paul's signature on these epistles was a sign of the authenticity of the Word of God coming by the Holy Spirit.

 2Th 3:17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

 Anathema in this passage means that those who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ are objects of hatred, from disgust to all holy beings. They are guilty of rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ and deserve condemnation.

 They have exposed themselves to the sentence of "everlasting destruction” from the presence of the Lord, which is what Maranatha says.

 The word Maranatha means the Lord Jesus is coming, and He will judge all those who have made Him seem meaningless in this world, all those who are Anathema.

 God is very serious about how we treat His Son!

 Amen

True Godly Worship

 Instructions for Godly Worship

 1 Corinthians Chapter 11: Verses 17-34

 What is the greatest problem of the modern church today? The modern church gathers together not for the betterment of the church, but for the worse.

 We are to come together to hear the message God has for us on that particular day and apply that message to our lives when we step back into the world.

 We know that if we love the Lord, then He knows it.

 We had better know that the reason we attend church is also known to the Lord!

 Do we come to receive the instructions from Jehovah so that we can grow in the Lord?

Do we come out of curiosity?

Do we come to observe worldly interest?

Do we come without any preparation of heart?

 Are we soon wearying of the services we attend?

 Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 

 Do we love the Word of God or not?

Are we just partially convinced of the truth of God?

Do we stifle the Holy Spirit?

 If we do not come together for the betterment of the Church and our lives, then we will come together for the worse!

 This is highly displeasing to Jehovah!

 Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 

 There are only two ordinances assigned to the Church.

 One is Baptism.

The other is the Lord's Supper.

 Our lesson today is concentrated on the Lord's Supper.

 Here in the South, when the word supper is mentioned, it used to mean that the last meal of the day, when the whole family would come together to prepare for the end of the day and maybe plan a little for the next day.

 For the Jews, that evening supper was the principal meal of the day.

 The Lord's Supper is something that is, for the most part, entirely different.

 In our church, we say communion, and communion is fellowship with the Lord.

Communion is between the Lord Jesus Christ and His people.

 Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 

Joh 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 

Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 

 The Lord's Supper is called the cup of blessing because in it there is fellowship with Jesus Christ and His disciples, and among the disciples with one another.

 1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 

1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 

 Every child of God belongs to Jesus Christ, and we can enjoy our relationship with Him!

 Only those who belong to Jesus Christ should take part in Communion.

 As the Apostle Paul wrote to Philemon, communion means the good things in us that come by Jesus Christ.

 Phm 1:4  I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 

Phm 1:5  Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 

Phm 1:6  That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 

 *****1Co 11:17  Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

 Paul begins his rebuke of the way this Corinthian Church was celebrating the Lord's Supper.

 As Independent Baptists, we only recognize two ordinances, which are baptism and the Lord's Supper.

 An ordinance is an outward rite prescribed by Jesus Christ to be performed by His Church.

 Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper on the night of His crucifixion.

 Luk 22:14  And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 

Luk 22:15  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 

Luk 22:16  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 

Luk 22:17  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 

Luk 22:18  For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 

Luk 22:19  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

Luk 22:20  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

 This was the New Covenant in contrast with the old Mosaic Covenant.

 Only through His death could this New Covenant be applied to the Church because it was the death of Christ that provided forgiveness of sins, which is discussed later in this lesson.

 The Lord's Supper is a memorial to the death of our Savior!

 As we celebrate the memorial of our Savior, we must emphasize that we have faith that He died so that we could be forgiven.

 This church in Corinth was even divided in this celebration, that is to remind us of what the Lord Jesus has already done for us.

 1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

 ***** 1Co 11:18  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 

1Co 11:20  When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. 

 These Corinthians were tragically abusing the Lord's Supper!

 When divisions are in any church, the Spirit of the Church is in disorder!

 Minds and hearts are not upon the Lord but on the causes of this division.

 Paul knew how these matters would grow and become rumors and exaggerations.

 Paul understood there was great truth in the letter he had received from this church.

 This church needed to work on its problems before it could be a true House of God.

 None of these things could catch the Lord off guard or by surprise.

 In fact, the Lord will allow these things to persist so the true believers can stand out in the turmoil.

 These people who cause this division in any church will cause the love and truth of genuine believers to shine brightly, which is what verse 19 tells us.

 No Spiritual unity can exist where there is no supreme affection for Jesus Christ.

 We are all to unite with Jesus Christ because He is the Head of the Church.

 It seems so many places of worship have forgotten this today.

 The Lord's Supper is our way of showing our faith in the Lord but here in Corinth it was perverted into a means of gluttony and drunkenness.

 Today, we see churches that are perverted, Bibles that are perverted, and Christian ministries that are perverted.

 The one good thing for the pastor of any church was that he could tell who were genuine Christians and those who were not.

 *****1Co 11:21  For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 

1Co 11:22  What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 

 This gathering of this church was meaningless to the Lord, and He would never be a part of such a gathering!

 It is impossible to have a divided church and honor the Lord Jesus!

 Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

 When the early church observed the Lord's Supper, they would incorporate it with what was called a "love feast".

 Everyone brought all the food they could in order that there would be plenty for everyone, including the poor and the slaves who could not bring very much.

 The idea was to have a common meal where everyone shared, and everyone would have enough to eat.

 This church at Corinth began to abuse the Supper. Instead of sharing, everyone sat off in their little group of friends and shared the food they brought only with that group.

 Some were neglected and had very little to eat, if anything.

Some were indulging as gluttons, trying to make sure that group had nothing to eat.

Some treated the whole thing as a social gathering, bringing alcohol to drink off to the side and becoming drunk.

 This was no longer a Christian fellowship, and there was no love shown to the brethren.

 This was no celebration of the Lord's Supper!

 This celebration was meaningless and useless in furthering the Gospel and strengthening the Church.

 This celebration ruined the testimony of this church.

 Some outside the church who believed would talk about how Satan had accomplished so much in the church in such a short period of time.

 Satan is working hard in many churches today!

 Paul said you must despise the House of God to do such things.

 Paul said Do you not have homes to do such things and not bring this inside the church.

 They abused the sanctity of the Church.

They shamed the poor and the slaves who had little food.

They corrupted the Lord's Supper.

They slapped the face of the Lord Jesus Christ.

They were proud of themselves.

 A divided church is a sin against the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Paul said, "How can I praise such a gathering in the House, the Lord Jesus has built"?

 1Ti 3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 

 1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

 Paul tells this church the truth of the Lord's Supper.

 *****1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come

 What is the real meaning of the Lord's Supper?

 The Lord's Supper involves our looking back to the historical event of the cross and anticipating His return, which could happen any day now.

 The Lord's Supper is a communion of believers with each other.

 1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 

 At the Lord's Supper, we will all eat and drink the same symbolic elements of the body of our Lord as we become the Body of Christ in common faith!

 **What is the meaning of the bread? Jesus said: "Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me". 

 We must remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Glory of God!

 Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

 Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 

 The Lord Jesus took part in His final meal Himself. He was standing there with His disciples, who would become the Apostles.

 That bread symbolized the Lord's body.

 **In passing the cup, Jesus said: "This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me".

 Jesus did not say this was His blood, but it symbolized His blood, just as it was a symbol of the New Covenant God has made with mankind.

 His body had to be broken for this New Covenant to take place, and it was broken for all mankind, but especially for those who love Him.

 The Lord Jesus substituted His body for my body on that cross and the body of every sinner who has ever lived and will live in the future, though that future may now be short.

 Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 

 **The Lord did these things for us, and of the bread He said: "This do in remembrance of me"

 Of the cup He said: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me".

 This means we are to stir up our minds to meditate upon the person of Jesus Christ, the Holy Son of God.

 The Old Covenant, the Old Testament, is set aside, and this New Covenant is the blood of Jesus Christ and not the blood of bulls and goats.

 Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

 Every church is to set time aside to observe the Lord's Supper, which is to concentrate our minds upon our Savior.

 His death.

His return.

 Jesus Christ died for us that we might live for Him!

 We must understand that there can be severe consequences for taking part in the Lord's Supper unworthily!

 *****1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 

1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 

1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

 We know that Paul has sent this letter by Timothy to preach to the Corinthian church, but this letter would be preached to every Christian church of that day, and we have a copy of it today.

 We know that if we have sin in our hearts, God will not answer our prayers.

 Psa 66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 

 In partaking of the Lord's Supper, we must understand its purpose.

 Psa_116:13  I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

Psa 116:14  I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. 

 The same night of the Lord's Supper, we know that He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot.

 If we partake of the Lord's Supper with sin in our lives, then we are not saved by the "grace" of God, we have not accepted the New Covenant of God, and we have partaken of the Lord's Supper unworthily.

 The Lord Jesus died for our sins; He had no sin.

 The Lord's Supper shows forth His death until He returns!

 This event commemorates the death of our Savior.

 1) Not His life, for He lived in holiness without sin.

2) Not His teaching, though He spoke in Divine Truth.

3) Not His miracles, though He walks in mercy.

4) But His death, not glorious, but broken. His blood, not flowing through His veins, but shed for all mankind.

The Lord's Supper is when we see our own sins laid upon Him

The Lord's Supper is when we see our souls washed by Him.

The Lord's Supper is when we see our doom reversed by Him.

The Lord's Supper is when we see our lives secured by Him.

So, we must show forth His death till He comes.

The eleven disciples who remained became more faithful witnesses after the Lord's Supper, and we should also, if we can see how great our salvation is.

Those who partake of the Lord's Supper unworthily put the Lord in open shame.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 

Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 

Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 

Those who have no concept of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His death in payment for our sin, and partake of the Lord's Supper show irreverence of the body and the blood of the Son of God, will stir the judgment of God the Father.

It sounds serious because it is serious!

1Jn 5:16  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 

*****1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

1Co 11:33  Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 

1Co 11:34  And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. 

If we know we have unconfessed sin, we should not take part in the two ordinances of the Church, and certainly not the Lord's Supper.

If we take that word "judgment" to mean "discern," we need to examine ourselves to make sure we are not living in sin or carrying some unconfessed sin in our hearts; we must certainly not take part in the Lord's Supper.

We must confess our sin and repent of that sin, knowing that God will chasten us, but He chastens us out of His love for us. If we continue in sin, we may be running the risk of being judged with the unbelievers.

We must share and demonstrate our love by putting others first, serving one another.

We must not bring condemnation upon ourselves. We must repent of our old life. We must change what we have been doing.

We can eat our meals at home, but the Lord's Supper is for those who truly trust in the salvation plan of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jonah realized His sin, he cried unto the Lord with these words: Jon 2:2  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 

Amen

Christian Freedom

 Claiming Rights and Living by Love

 Book of 1 Corinthians, Chapters 8 and 9

 

In this lesson, we will see the contrast between knowledge and love.

 We know the Word of God provides us with the knowledge of how to live our lives according to the Word of God.

 God has a response to every question we have in this life, no matter what it is!

 The City of Corinth was a pagan city, full of idolatry.

 Most of the meat sold in the marketplaces had been offered in sacrifice to idols, pagan gods.

 A portion of a sacrifice was offered as a burnt offering to a false god; the person who offered the meat would get a portion, and the rest of the meat would be sold in the marketplaces.

 Practically every social event in Corinth served meat that had been offered as a sacrifice to false gods.

 What was a Christian to do when they went shopping for meat for their own families?

 They had no idea where that meat came from, just as we have no idea when we go shopping for meat for our own families today.

 There were also great social functions in the city, and many of them were held in the temples built for the worship of these false gods.

 Could a Christian attend these events and eat the meals that were served, knowing that the meat might have been offered to false gods?

 Many felt that it was wrong to buy meat that had been offered to false gods, but they could not tell if the meat they bought had been used as a sacrifice or if the meat came from some other source.

 For this reason, many Christian believers became vegetarians.

 Just as these Corinthians, Christians of today live amid a sinful and pleasure-mad world, and we will have questions.

 These Corinthians wrote a letter to the Apostle Paul seeking answers to these questions, and the Church of today has those answers.

 The greatest questions of today are about Christian freedoms.

 Are we free to do as we please?

 What restraints are put on Christian Liberty?

 What controls our behavior in this wicked world?

 What is Christian love?

 Today, we have the complete Word of God, and it gives us all the answers we need to live in this life.

 *****1Co 8:1  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 

1Co 8:2  And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 

1Co 8:3  But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 

 We must understand the three Christian graces which are Faith, Hope and Charity!

 Faith is the vision of the unseen: Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

This is our trust in God.

 Hope is our desire to be with our Creator: Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

 Charity (love) is the necessary condition of our dwelling with God and God in us: 1Co 12:31  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. 

 We know that God is love: 1Jn_4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn_4:16  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

 God loved us when we were worthless to Him, and we must strive to love like God loves and show that love not only to our brothers and sisters in Christ, but also to those we witness to.

 It will be our love that will define us as Christians in the end!

 Then, we need to first judge all things by love and not by knowledge.

 We all have knowledge if we study the Bible and attend a Bible believing Church, but we all may not have the love of God within us as we go through this world.

 The knowledge we have learned may come forth as pride, and our pride may interfere with our love.

 It is our love that must define our bodies as a Temple of God!

 We certainly have much more knowledge about God's creations, but it is by no means perfect knowledge.

 We have much knowledge about the true Church, but it is love that builds the Church.

 It is good to have clear views of Christian liberty, but if we exercise that knowledge without love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, then that knowledge is not fruitful for the Body of Christ.

 The Holy Spirit is not given to us to do as we please!

 We have the Holy Spirit living within us to give us freedom to serve the Lord Jesus, which is perfect freedom.

 We are free to obey all the Word of God.

 We are free from the law of sin and death: Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

 We have complete freedom to do the things that are in God's will for us.

 When God created this world, we live in, He said that it was all good.

 Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

 No actions of any Saint of God are unlawful if they are in accordance with God's design in creation.

 We should understand that desires are a function of our bodies that God made. So, in this sense, we have complete freedom.

 1) We must understand that many things in this world are neither worthwhile nor are they profitable.

2) We must understand that many things in this world are not wise. Some things will enslave us and not bring self-respect.

 We are never to become slaves to anything on this earth, which would include such things as drugs or alcohol, or substance abuse.

 We are to preserve our self-control to control the things upon this earth and not be controlled by any of them.

 Our good health and our emotions depend upon us being in control of our bodies and our spirits.

 Indulgence in any of the appetites of the body is one of the greatest sins of any believer.

 Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

 Our knowledge is useless if it is not bound by love for each other!

 It is love that unites us with Jehovah.

 If we love Jehovah, then He knows it and accepts it.

 We are not accepted by God because of our knowledge!

 Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

 *****1Co 8:4  As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 

1Co 8:5  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 

 As Christians, we know that there is no God but Jehovah.

 We know that no idol is God and is nothing in this world, no matter what their worshippers may think.

 There is no God but One, and He is Jehovah.

 False gods are gods of the mind and imagination, ideas and notions.

 They are gods made of wood and stone.

 They are gods and lords of their own creation.

 We could all sit down and think about what a perfect God should be, but we do not even know what perfect really means; we just know that our Savior is perfect and He is a perfect God.

 We know that an idol is created because the Devil has influenced the mind of that person.

We know that an idol could represent the demons and evil spirits in our world.

 1Co 10:20  But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 

1Co 10:21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. 

 There is indeed demonic influence in our world.

 Even the powers of nature are worshipped as gods.

 Even the Roman emperors claimed to be gods.

 As Christians, we know that all these so-called gods do not exist except in the minds of some foolish people.

 We know that there is, but one God and He is our Creator.

 Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

 Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

 There are just far too many in our world who have not met the Lord Jesus Christ.

 *****1Co 8:7  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 

1Co 8:8  But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

 We already know that this church in Corinth was full of baby Christians and was full of division.

 They had not understood the truth of Jehovah.

 They had many times eaten of this sacrificial meat and had visited the temples of false gods and taken part in the big banquets.

 To them, to continue to do these things had to be a sin against Jehovah and apostasy.

 It was their conscience that was weak. They just could not accept that this meat could be clean.

 They could not tell what meat came from which source, so to them all the meat was unclean.

 Too many, they just did not ask the source of the meat, and they just took it home and ate their conscience free and clear of any wrong.

 We can see a lack of faith by those who became vegetarians.

 They were not strong enough spiritually to control their minds and beliefs.

 Act 10:14  But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 

Act 10:15  And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

 Food is immaterial to God. Food does not make us more spiritual or less spiritual.

 The eating of food does not make us acceptable to God nor does it better or worse.

 We lose nothing by not eating and we gain nothing by eating.

 Some would tell you that this same line of thought would apply to wine or alcohol, but the Scripture never said wine was clean.

 Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 

Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 

Pro 23:31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 

 Isa 5:22  Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 

Isa 5:23  Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

 Isa 5:11  Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! 

 There are many more places in the Scriptures concerning wine and alcohol.

 We understand that there is such a thing as Christian Freedom, so the question of real importance is, "What effect will our conduct have on others"?

 *****1Co 8:9  But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 

1Co 8:10  For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 

1Co 8:11  And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

 Some people use verse 8 to say "fasting" is not needed for a Christian, because of the words "but meat commendeth us not to God", but this would be a wrong interpretation.

 We do have liberties as true Christians, but we are in sin if we lead anyone to do that which he thinks is wrong.

 We make things worse for the "babe in Christ" by our example if we teach them to act in contradiction of their conscience.

 God has revealed Himself through conscience; Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 

Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

 Conscience may be regarded as an inward monitor or the voice of God in the soul, that passes judgment on men's response to the moral law.

 We can study the Bible and learn every prophecy and think we know all that we can about Jehovah, but if we do not use these things to benefit others, such as babes in Christ, then these things will not bring the blessings of the Lord but rather reproach for the cause of Christ.

 No matter how great a Christian we think we are, we must not become a stumbling block to a new Christian and especially to that one who left the Church before they experienced the salvation of Jesus Christ.

 1Co 13:2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 Note that phrase in verse nine: "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumblingblock to them that are weak".

 To the world, the Church is already a place full of hypocrites, so why would we ever make matters worse?

 When Christians are seen out in public doing questionable things, others are sometimes influenced by the things they see us do, but in the wrong way.

 We must never forget that none of us are so Spiritual that we cannot fall.

 *****1Co 8:12  But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

 There is no greater sin for the Christian than to damage the conscience of another believer!

 A wounded conscience will make any person feel useless and helpless and may destroy their drive and initiative, and ambition.

 Jesus Christ died for us in our weakness. If we lead some poor soul astray, we have committed a terrible sin against the truth of Jesus Christ.

 What had the Lord Jesus told the Apostle Paul on his day of salvation?

 Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 

 Any persecution of any believer is the same as persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ!

 *****1Co 8:13  Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

 We must understand that we have no value in ourselves, but because of the work of Jesus Christ, we are valuable in Heaven!

 If we are striving to be more like Jesus Christ, then we must remember what He has said: Joh 15:12  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 Our love for our brothers and sisters should mean that we will self-sacrifice for their welfare.

 In the Church, we will influence more people by example than we will influence by our knowledge!

 Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

 *****1Co 9:19  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 

1Co 9:20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 

1Co 9:21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 

1Co 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 

1Co 9:23  And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 

 We can see that the Apostle enslaved himself to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 As did the Lord Jesus: Joh 13:14  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 

Joh 13:15  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 

 We talk about Christian freedom, and we have certain freedoms, but we are free to walk with the Lord.

 When we walk with the Lord, we are not as likely to return to the bondage of this world, which is bondage to the Devil.

 Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

 This passage may apply more to preachers or pastors, but it also applies to every Christian.

 The one purpose of following the Lord Jesus is to reach out to the lost and be a witness for Christ.

 Paul said he was free from all men, but he had enslaved himself by love to serve one another.

 As we are free because of Jesus Christ, we are not obligated to conform to the world's opinions.

 We are never to compromise our convictions, but we must show the love of God to those we are trying to witness to.

 We must remember our humble Shepherd and how He treated everyone He met, no matter their walk in life.

 Paul obeyed the laws of Moses when he witnessed to Jews, as did the Lord, as long as nothing violated his walk with Christ.

 This is a great example for the Church today.

 We are free to do all things that do not violate the Law of God.

 Though Paul would be obedient to the Law of Moses as best he could, he did not compel any Gentile to do the same.

 Paul would go along with the customs of the Gentiles that were not in violation of the Laws of God.

 Paul would go along with babes in Christ and refrain from doing some things that he had the Christian freedom to do.

 Paul would not become a stumbling block to anyone seeking Jesus Christ!

 The most important "grace" we have in our possession is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

 Mar 10:43  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 

Mar 10:44  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 

Mar 10:45  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 

 No true Pastor or preacher, or even a Christian believer, can approach the Christian life with a bad attitude.

 *****1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but onereceiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 

1Co 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 

1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 

One of the great festivals of the Greeks took place in Corinth during the Isthmian Games in honor of Poseidon, which took place every three years.

When Paul mentioned the word race, these people knew what he was talking about.

No racer entered those games determined to lose, knowing that only one would be crowned the victor.

To be honest, it is the race itself that brings excitement and not always the winner.

As Christians, we all enter the Christian race to be winners, and we can know that our journey to Heaven will be exciting if we put our hearts into it.

God expects us to run and run hard!

Php 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 

A racer will spend much time preparing his body for that one day of the race.

He will prepare his body.

He will prepare his mind.

He will prepare his spirit.

As Christians, we must be just as disciplined as these athletes.

A true athlete will not put anything into his body that is corrupt or polluted.

Remember, our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

We must control our minds and our thoughts, and we must give in to the Holy Spirit and follow His lead.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

That crown we receive from Heaven is far greater than any crown we could receive on this earth.

We must make every time we witness count toward salvation, even if we water where someone else has planted the seed.

We cannot allow our bodies to dictate our actions.

As we age, our bodies will tell us it is just too tired to do anything and has too much pain.

God will not accept this as an excuse!

We are not to be slaves to our bodies; our bodies must be a slave to our work for the Lord!

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

That cross is a sign of pain and death, but we must overcome it because we can never die, and that cross will drive us to success.

To give in to our bodies is to be disqualified from the race!

We will struggle with sin all our days, but we cannot allow sin to dictate our actions.

There is nothing that we do that can separate us from the love of God.

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Amen